On Being Engaged

Hello everyone, Maria here :)

I have been wanting to blog about our engagement for the past 2 and a half weeks now. I wrote an entire blog post about the experience as a whole but felt it was something I wanted to keep between Spencer, myself, and our close friends and family. I may publish it one day but for now, I just want to keep it close to my heart.

That being said, I've been wanting to write about how things have changed since we've become engaged, things I've learned, and things I'm excited to learn.

First things first, not that much has changed. You see these movies all throughout your life when the guy proposes to the girl, it's a super huge surprise, and in that instant everything changes. I always expected that would happen but I think it's a beautiful thing that our relationship seems almost the same. See, Spencer and I have always had marriage as the goal in mind for our relationship. Ever since I met the boy, I knew he was something special, something different, and I remember within a month thinking that I was set for life. Our engagement was absolutely magical and perfect and yes, I cried. But when you've always been this committed to someone, it's almost like breathing a sigh of relief when you become engaged. The time is finally here that you get to legitimately start a life with that person, and it's beautiful that since you've been this committed for 5 years, you already feel somewhat prepared (even though I'm sure we still have a ways to go).

Next, I'm already starting to feel like a long engagement is a wonderful idea. Hopefully I will be in a Masters program here at Virginia Tech next year. So the soonest time that Spencer and I could get married is in a year and a half. It's hilarious to me that people think this is a long time...when I've waited 5 years and 2 months to be engaged to this man.

I told Spencer that we wouldn't start planning until we both graduate in December...which is true...but boy is it fun to window shop! Pinterest is awesome, as you all should know, and I've loved just getting to look online at venues, dresses, cakes, and honeymoons (all the fun stuff). I'm so thankful that we get so much time to just bask in the greatness that is the engaged life. I know I said not much has changed, but recently it feels like we just started dating again. I'm talking butterflies and giggles and missing him every second of every day. It's kind of disgusting.

Lastly, I'm obsessed with my ring. Okay, don't get me wrong I love to shop, but I have never been a super materialistic person. I like cute comfy clothes that usually feel like pjs and will absolutely wear no makeup and glasses more often than not. For these reasons, I never thought I would be the girl who wants to put up constant ring pictures and cannot stop staring at her hand...but BOY WAS I WRONG! My ring is perfect. And the diamond in the center was from Spencer's great grandmother's ring which has more meaning than anything I've ever received. I keep telling Spencer that I love how the most beautiful thing I've ever owned gets to be a symbol for the most beautiful time in my life. It's okay that I'm obsessed, though, because he is also obsessed with his Apple Watch that I gave him as an engagement gift. I think he looks at his hand even more than I look at mine ;)

We want to thank you all so much for the support you've shown us during this time. I know that sounds cliche, but it has really been evident how much people love our love, and that means the world to us. Spencer is more than I ever dreamed I would find in a man and best friend and I cannot wait to FINALLY start a life with him! I would just ask that you all pray for us on this journey. We are often hopeless romantics but we are also realistic and know that this will be a challenge. Marriage wasn't meant to work. Our favorite analogy about marriage comes from Ephesians 5: 22-33 when the word states that husbands must love their wives as Christ loved the church. Marriage is related to the most perfect relationship that exists; it is supposed to be hard and quite frankly impossible. But I am so ready to tackle it with this man and our overwhelming support network and our God that always walk beside us.